The basics

The Jabra SP700 is a hands-free, Bluetooth car speakerphone, with the option of either using its built-in speaker, or porting the sound via radio transmitter to the car’s stereo.

Jabra BT530 Bluetooth Headset, unopened

The ups and downs

The BT350 is light, comfortable, easy to pair, and easy to use. It lasts as long as it’s supposed to (about 5.5 hours of talk time and up to 250 hours of standby), and while the noise reduction is not perfect, it’s certainly adequate—windy days will still likely cause complaints from whomever you’re talking to. It can be worn in-ear, or over-the-ear, depending on preference; the over-the-ear clip can be removed, and the form-fitting earpiece can be swapped for a more robust “stay-in-my-ear, dammit” version with a ring-like appendage (included).

Charging can be done via a USB cable, but the headset-end USB variation is not the standard mini-USB connector. To make matters worse, the SP700’s adapter is another non-standard variation on the mini-USB, so one charger cannot be used for both, and you won’t be able to use your standard mini-USB cable (from a camera or T-Mobile G1, for example) to charge your Jabra accessories. The on-off switch is a nice function, but it’s rare that I’ve had to use it. The headset will not connect while being charged, so it’s useful to take it off the charger when expecting a call—it will however connect quickly while the phone is ringing, so it’s not a big deal. The answer/hang-up button works more or less as it should. The volume up-and-down buttons are placed in a logical position, but it’s somewhat uncomfortable to fumble with them while the unit is in your ear.

Overall it’s one of the better headsets I’ve used—at $52 it’s definitely worth considering, and it’s more visually appealing than most of the competition.

Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone, packaging

The SP700 Bluetooth speakerphone is the type of device I was loathe to consider necessary; after all, most Bluetooth-enabled phones have a built-in speakerphone. So why put an additional device in the car? My mind was immediately changed after using the device for a few days. While the speakerphone functions on most phones are adequate for quiet-room operation, they often do not fare well in noisier environments such as cars. The SP700 is loud. Like earsplittingly loud. Especially when the unit is placed on the sun visor near your head. In fact, one of my biggest complaints about the unit is that it seems to default to the loudest volume every time it’s powered up, and it’s annoying and seemingly ineffective to actually turn the volume down. It seems to be on some sort of logarithmic scale, so even a few clicks of the minus-button in (which is hard to find to begin with, especially while driving), and the sound is still loud. There’s also an obnoxious confirmation tone that blocks out the incoming call for a split second each time the button is pressed—it’s as if Jabra just doesn’t want you to change the volume. And personally, I’ve pretty much given up.

During high-speed freeway driving, it’s great to be able to hear above the traffic din, but it can cause some real ear-ache during quieter parking lot moments. An added bonus (to some extent) is the ability to transmit the audio via radio signal to the car’s stereo. On paper, this is fantastic, and when I first tried it, it sounded unbelievably clear. It was also much simpler to change the volume, since I could use my car’s controls rather than the clumsy SP700 buttons. But here’s the catch: just like with any radio transmitter, it’s necessary to find an unused station to broadcast on. In some rural areas or parts of Siberia, this is probably not a challenge, but here in LA, where simultaneous driving and phone-talking is extremely prevalent, it’s nearly impossible to find an open frequency. And even if you can find one, it’s likely to change as your location changes while driving, and it’s awkward and dangerous to be fumbling with both the SP700 and the car stereo while in motion, all while telling your conversation partner “Hold on! I can’t hear you and I have to find a new radio station.” Lives are at stake, Jabra. So I pretty much stick to the built-in speakerphone—the radio functionality sounds great when it works, but just not reliable or simple enough to justify all the trouble. While the charger connector is a bit non-standard (as mentioned in the previous section), it can be charged in the car, and the device certainly does hold a charge longer than you’d expect.

At $61 it’s not a must-have, but it’s worth thinking about if you spend a lot of time using your mobile’s built-in speakerphone in the car.

Street prices

BT530: $52

SP700: $61

Final verdict

These two products are definitely worth considering—they may not be everything you’re looking for, but they’re reasonably priced, quality products.